Heated baton



. INVENTOR.

CARTER M. HANNA BY 014mm,, ma 1 ATTORNEYS C. M. HANNA Nov. 7, 1961 HEATED BATON Filed May 13, 1959 United States This invention relates as indicated to a heated baton and more particularly to a novel twirling baton incorporating therein a heating device to maintain the temperature of the baton sufliciently warm to make it easy to handle by drum majorettes and the like in cold weather.

In modern day spectacles such as football games, parades or the like, it is generally customary to employ as entertainment prancing drum majorettes using twirling batons. Since many of these extravaganzas occur in the fall or early winter seasons, it becomm extremely difiicult craftily to handle the twirling baton as the result of low temperatures, etc. The cold weather frequently numbs the fingers of the baton twirlers making it extremely difficult to manipulate the baton in the requisite fashion. It is, needless to say, extremely embarrassing to a baton twirler to drop a baton in a parade or dining the half-time of a football game or the like.

A baton is generally twirled by holding the baton centrally thereof and manipulating it with the fingers. The baton is so balanced that it will readily revolve when manipulated in the proper manner. The dexterity of the fingers is, of course, a requisite for the proper twirling of such batons.

It is accordingly a principal object of my invention to provide a novel twirling baton that will assist in maintaining the proper degree of dexterity in the users fingers.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel twirling baton that will contribute to the comfort of scantily clad baton twirlers in cold or inclement weather.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a heated twirling baton that may readily be assembled and disassembled by the user.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is an assembled view of a twirling baton constructed in accordance with my invention;

PEG. 2 is an assembled view of such baton illustrating the position of the heating unit Within the baton;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded view of the twirling baton illustrating the parts thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an end view of the heating element shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown my twirling baton which generally comprises an elongated right circular cylindrical tubular shaft 1 the ends of which are covered by suitable decorative balls 2 and 3 which can be made of rubber, plastic or other resilient material. These end members 2 and 3 not only protect the ends of the baton itself, but also act as safety devices to prevent someone accidently hit by the ends of the baton from being seriously injured. Moreover, the end members 2 and 3 add to the appearance and symmetry of the overall baton. It will, of course, be noted that the baton is generally colored to assist in the production of the gay or festive atmosphere in which it atent O is to be used. The shaft may generally be made of a light metal such as aluminum or a suitable thermally resistant plastic.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the baton shaft 1 comprises two sections 4 and 5, the section 4- having internal threads 6 therein and the section 5 hav ing external threads 7 on the end thereof adapted to be screwed within the threads 6. It will now be seen that the shaft comprises two threaded sections that can be readily assembled or disassembled by relatively twisting the two parts to secure them together or unscrew them as the case may be. In the baton shown, which may be approximately 28 inches long, the position of joint 8 is carefully determined by the balance of the baton so that it may be in the vicinity of the area of the shaft 1 that is generally contacted by the fingers of the baton twirler. In the baton illustrated, this joint 8 formed at the threaded portions 6 and 7 of the sections 4 and 5 respectively, will be approximately 9 inches from the enlarged end 3 and 19 inches from the smaller end 2. However, when a thermally conductive metal is employed as the material for the shaft, the position of the heating unit is important only as a consideration of balance.

The Warming unit illustrated generally comprises a catalyst heating coil 9 of the configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and is of such diameter that it will snugly frictionally fit within the shaft 1. In this manner, the sec tions 4 and 5 may be assembled together with the coil therein and the fit of the coil within the shaft will be such as to preclude its movement longitudinally thereof. It will, of course, be understood that suitable detents or the like may be employed within the shaft to retain the heating coil or catalyst element 9 in the proper longitudinal position of the shaft 1. In addition to the catalyst, an elongated wad of cotton or other suitable fibrous material 10, which is adapted to be soaked in a suitable fuel, is placed within the shaft 5. The cotton may be soaked in a suitable fuel and when enclosed by the coil 9 which acts as a catalyst, the combustion thereof will be slowed to the proper rate providing an even and long burning of the fuel therein. Reference may be had to Patent No. 1,202,- 199 to Lamiere et al. illustrating and describing catalytic heating apparatus which operates generally similarly to the one I may employ.

In my apparatus the fuel, which may be any readily vaporized fuel such as, for example, gasoline, alcohol or commercially available lighter fluid, is thoroughly dispersed within the cotton wadding 10. The wad is placed within the end of section 5 of the shaft and the catalyst coil 9 is slipped within the end thereof. It is noted that the coil which can be platinumized metal (coated with platinum salts or powdered platinum, for example) may be of any general configuration as for example, a mesh, gauze or screen. The fuel ladened wad 10 and the catalyst 9 are secured within the baton. The coil may then be heated externally by means of a cigarette lighter, match, etc. to cause vaporization of the fuel, the fuel vapors passing through the catalyst to the atmosphere through the minute openings 11. The external heat will also tend to activate the catalyst and the catalytic action thereof will raise the temperature of the vapor so that when it comes into contact with atmospheric oxygen, it combines therewith to generate heat without producing flame. The coil may preferably be heated before the sections are joined.

The rate of combustion of the vapors may be regulated by varying the position of the wad 10 with respect to the catalyst or heating coil 9. The further the fuel has to 0 travel to pass through the catalyst and out to the atmos- 3 my warming unit and it is possible to maintain the baton in a pleasantly warm condition for as long as four or five hours after it has been charged. This has been found to be suliicient for most baton twirling purposes since scantily clad drum majorettes are rarely subjected to cold temperatures for longer than this period.

It will now be seen that my twirling baton is readily capable of assembly and disassembly so that it may be charged by the baton twirler just prior to the performance from a suitable supply of volatile fuel, as for example, a can of lighter fluid.

It may be readily understood that in place of my Warming unit generally shown in FIG. 3, a suitable electric heating apparatus may be employed with the resistance elements thereof in the general vicinity of that portion of the shaft contacted by the fingers of the person holding such baton. In addition to electric heating elements it is readily possible to employ a chemical heating element employing exothermic chemicals that will react with water to supply heat.

However, I prefer to use the heating unit illustrated in that it need only be recharged periodically with a suitable fuel and has an indefinite useful life.

It can now be seen that I have provided a twirling baton that will readily assist in maintaining the proper degree of dexterity in the users fingers during cold Weather.

Other modes of applying the principles of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in the following claim or the equivalent of such be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

A heated twirling baton comprising a hollow shaft formed in two sections, means to join said sections at substantially tie center of balance thereof to form a continuous hollow shaft, each said section having substantially the same respective internal and external diameters to form smooth continuous surfaces internally and externally of said baton; and a warming unit enclosed within said shaft at substantially the center of balance thereof, said warming unit comprising a foraminous sleeve of flexible material having a catalyst thereon, minute perforations in said shaft in the vicinity of said catalyst, said perforations being sufficiently small to present a smooth exterior surface to the fingers of a baton twirler; and a wick adapted to receive a charge of volatile fuel and adapted to emit vapors passing through said catalyst, said wick being axially displaceable relative to the sleeve whereby said catalyst oxidizes said vapors at a rate controlled by the position of said wick relative to said sleeve to thus evenly warm the portion of said baton at the center of balance thereof; said sleeve snugly frictionally fitting the. inside of said hollow shaft thereby to be precluded from movement longitudinally of said shaft upon twirling of said baton.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

